Sign



arch 28, 1950 w. c. cRAx/ER SIGNV Filed March 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mf-) me Il,"

March 2S, 1950 W Q CRAVER l 2,503,759,

SIGN

Filed Maron 2o, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 2 W Cvavew Patented Mar. 28, 1950 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGN william c. Graver, Winston-salem, N. o. AppiicationMareh '20, 1947, serial No. 735,955

(ci. io- 128) Claims.

. 1 This invention relates to signs, and has vparticular reference to a -`sign construction in which character displaying plates may lbe locked or clamped in place by means of a novel supporting frame arrangement. y

The primary object of ythe invention is to provide a sign of the character described wherein said plates may be Vplaced in proper position in the sign with unusual ease and facility, and locked against removal fromthe sign, the 'support from which the sign depends being adapted by means of an unusual construction to serve as the locking member. l

Another important object of the invention is to provide a sign of the type described which is so constructed as Ato resist with unusual eiiectiveness any attempts 'at malicious mischief in con'- nection therewith, such ras removal of the character plates, or the like. y

A further important object of the invention is to provide a novel type of sign that is constructed unusually inexpensively, and yet is of exceptional durability and strength. y

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sign in which the character plates are automatically locked in place by the act of hang-V ing the sign.

With the foregoing and other objects in 'View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings: y

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a sign constructed in accorda-nce with the invention, the dotted lines indicating the position taken by the supporting members whereby the sign is hung', when it is desired tochange or insert new character plates', before hanging the sign.

Figure 2 is a view t'aln'n subst'anti'ally` on -line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary' detail perspective view, showing the center 'portion of the sign, a portion of a character plate being shown in locked position.

Referring to the `drawings in detail, the reference character 5 designates a pair of longitudinal outer frame members which 'are spaced apart in parallel relation, andA which are preferably formed. from lengths` of vl'ieayy wiremat'erial. The ends of' these members are rigidly connected to: tlieV 2 ends of' parallel transverse outer frame members 6, thereby forming a rectangular outer frame.

A rectangular inner frame is also "provided, and this is formedy 'with 'parallel longitudinal inner frame members T, that are also parallel to the members 5. Disposed parallel to, and a short distance above, the lower vof the longitudinal inner frame members 'I is a lower plate guard 8, which is also preferably formed from a length of stiff wire material;

Disposed parallel to, "and spaced a short distance below, the upper of the members 1-, -is an upper plate guard 9, vThe'guards 8 and 9, 'as will be explained in detail here'nafter, prevent re-` moval of the character plates from the front 'of the sign, the plates being locked behind these guards.

Throughout the length of the lower'plate guard 8, at spaced intervals, are "connected, thereto as by welding or the like, the vends of lower transverse brace wires I il. The other ends of the brace wires I0 are similarly joined to the lower of the longitudinal outer frame members 5. These are also rigidly joined, intermediate their ends, to the lower of the longitudinal inner frame members 1. Thus, the lower plate guard 8 is fxedly mounted in position in spaced relation from, and is rigidly joined to, the lower of the members 1; By means of the brace wires I0 whereby this is achieved, the lower of the members 'l is similarly mounted'and rigidly connected to the lower of the outer frame members' 5.

A similar arrangement is eiected longitudinally of the upper portion of the sign. Upper transverse brace wires II are rigidly Iconnected at spaced intervals, at one end, tothe upper of the longitudinal 'outer vframe members 5. Intermediatev their ends they are rigidly connected to the upper of the longitudinal inner frame members l. Their other ends are rigidly joined to the up'. per plate guard 9.

The ends of th'e longitudinal: inner frame' m'emiber 1' arel rlxedly connected to parallel transverse inner frame members I2' and itis thus seen that a rectangular inner frame is provided within the larger correspondingly formed outer frame. Brace wires I3 connect the transverse outer frames'm'en'rbers 6 and the inner` frame members I2.

The ends of' the plate guards 8 and 9 are also' xedly joined by transverse members I4, and this completes the basic outer and inner frame struc"-v tur'es, rigidly-Joined asfdfescribed to provide a 'supporting frame having a rectangnlarcentral 'opens ing'v or' window behind which the. character plates are placed for display purposes. Longitudinal rear supporting rods I5 are provided, that are arranged parallel to, and immediately rearward of, the plate guards 8 and 9. These are of a length corresponding to the length of the plate guards 8 and 9, and are spaced therefrom only enough to permit the entry therebetween of a character plate, as clearly shown in Figures 2 `and 3. Intermediate theirv ends the rods I5 are rigidly connected by parallel transverse brace rods I6. The lower ends of the brace rods I6 extend below the connection thereto to the lower of the longitu- Y mov-al in a rearward, forward, or lower direction,

dinal rods I 5, and are forwardly curved as clearly'l i porting rod I 8. As clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bottom supporting rod I3 constitutes a,

support for the bottom edges of the character plates, and is positioned so as to engage along its length the lower of the longitudinal inner frame members 1.

For the purpose of strengthening the connection between the rear supporting rods I5, I provide additionally =a plurality of transverse brace wires IS that are xedly connected at their ends to the said rods I5.

Connecting the ends of the rear supporting rods I5, and also xedly joined to the ends of the bottom supporting rod I8 and to the members 1, are rod supports 20, the upper ends of which are bent to providerearwardly directed eyes 2|.` l

Engaged by the eyes 2l are eyes 22 formed on the ends of angular supporting members 23, that are extended toward each other, and bent upwardly intermediate their ends to provide longitudinally engaging arms 24. The upper ends'of the arms 24 are formed with hooks 25 which, when the arms are brought together into the full line position shown-in Figure 1, lap oppositely, to provide a single opening.

For the purpose of reinforcing each of the supporting members 23, I prefer to employ diagonal braces 26, the ends of which are rigidly connected to the respective members 23 adjacent the ends of said members.

Each member 23 is provided with a yoke member 21. This is xedly connected to the member 23 intermediate its ends, and has its arms down- Wardly extended fromsaid point of connection, so as to straddle the upper of the rear supporting rodsA I 5, the upper of the longitudinal frame members 1, and the upper plate guard 9. Thus, when the members 23 are lowered into position for supporting the sign, as shown by the full lines of Figure 1, the members 23 are held against movement, substantially, by the yoke members 21.

The character plates embodied in the invention have been designated by the reference character 28, and are preferably in the form of rectangular flatk glass plates, each having a distinctive character thereon. To insert the plates, thev supporting members 23 are positioned asv shown in the dotted lines in Figure l. By reference to Figure-2,`- in which it is seen that these members engage the top edges of the character plates 28, it is vseen that this action will provide a suitable opening through which the plates 28 may be inserted or removed from the sign. After the plates have been inserted as desired, the members 23 are swung downwardly and tow-ard each other, until they are in the full line position shown in Figure 1. A lag bolt 29, or the like, isthen passed through the opening formed by the overlapping hooks 25, the bolt 29 being screwed into a supporting surface S or the like.

the character plates insertable in the window provided in the supporting frame for display purposes.V The plates 28 are removable only from the top, in an upward direction. An important characteristio of the invention, in this connection, is

the fact that the supports from which the sign depends are so formed and arranged as to close the top-of the window,A when the sign is hung. When placed in this position, the supporting members 23. engage the top edges of al1 the character plates, and at the same time provide a single opening, by means of the lapping hooks 25, through which a bolt may be passed. As a result, the character plates, though openly displayed and otherwise unprotected, are locked against removal automatically, by the act of mounting the sign on a supporting surface.

Obviously, deviations can be made from the exact embodimentv of the invention which has been illustrated and described herein, Without departure from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A sign comprisingA a supporting frame formed with a display opening adapted to receive character plates, the opening being open at its top for entry and removal of the character plates and closed against, removal of the character plates from the front, bottom, and rear, supporting members pivoted at one end to the supporting frame at the ends of the display opening for swinging movement into a position in which they are aligned longitudinally and cooperate to close theopen top of the-opening, arms on the respective supporting members engageable -longtudinally when thel supporting members are so swung, and hooks on the arms overlapping when the arms are so engaged, to provide a single aperture for receiving a supporting means.

2. A sign comprising a supporting frame formed with a display opening adapted to receive character plates, the opening being open at its top for entry and removal of the character plates positioned to register when the supporting membersare in said-posltiom 3. A sign comprising a supporting frame having a display opening, thedisplay opening having a slot for insertion and removal of, character plates, .supporting members each movably connected at one end to the supporting frame, the supporting members being movable into position inwhich they'are aligned longitudinally-and cooperate to close .the slot, the supporting members being formed at their: other ends for interengage'-4 ment when the supporting members are in said positions, and means for locking the latter ends to a sign support.

4".' In a sign a frame having a display opening, the opening being formed with a slot at its top for receiving character plates, a combined signsupporting and closure means for said slot, com-y prising a, pair of elongated rod members respectively swingably connected at their outer ends to the yframe at opposite ends of the slot, said mem` bers being swingable toward each other into a position in which they are longitudinally aligned toelo'selthe slot, the other ends of the members they are substantially aligned longitudinally to cooperate to close the slot, and eyes on the inner 'ends of the members registering in said position ,of the members for locking of the members ,against movement relative to each other and to the frame, on passage of a supporting pin through L .the registered eyes.

being formed with hooks, said hooks overlappingl when the members are swung toward each other,` l

tojgjprovide an opening for receiving a supporting;

means.

.25. In a sign a, frame having a slot, a pair of' supporting members therefor respectively pivot#v ally connected at their outer ends to the frame for swinging movement into a position in which v WILLIAM C. CRAVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

